THE BEST WHOLE WHEAT COOKIES!
If you are trying to sneak just a little bit of nutrition into your kids, adding whole wheat is a great way to do it. Not only does it have more fiber than regular flour, it also has more protein and nutrients. Now I’m not saying these cookies are health food, they aren’t. But they are better for you than regular chocolate chip cookies!
Because oatmeal cookies are already hearty and have an earthy flavor, adding whole wheat flour is kind of a no brainer. It just adds more texture to the cookies, but you can’t really detect a difference.
I adapted this recipe for whole wheat flour chocolate chip cookies from Melanie over at My Kitchen Cafe over a decade ago.
HOW TO MAKE WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH OATS
INGREDIENTS:
- brown sugar – I used light, but for a deeper, richer flavor, feel free to use dark brown sugar.
- granulated sugar
- butter – I use salted butter. For best results, let it soften on the counter so it doesn’t have hot and cold spots.
- eggs – Always use large eggs when baking unless the recipe indicates otherwise.
- vanilla extract – You can use whatever brand is your favorite. For this recipe, even the cheap stuff is fine.
- whole wheat flour – For the softest cookies with the best texture, you must use freshly ground wheat flour; white wheat is best. In my experience, the whole wheat flour from the store yields tough, dry baked goods!
- baking soda and baking powder – Both of these will help the cookies puff up.
- salt – Salt adds flavor to baked goods, and the cookies aren’t as good without it. If you need to, you can use less, but I don’t recommend omitting it.
- oats – I’ve used both quick oats and old fashioned oats, and they both work. I like the old fashioned kind a little more, but it’s a matter of preference.
- chocolate chips – I like using semi sweet for the melting factor, sometimes I use half milk chocolate. But you can use your favorite kind. You could even toss in some white chocolate if that floats your boat.
DIRECTIONS:
- PREP WORK: Let your butter soften to room temperature. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or spray with non stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- WET INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugars with a hand mixer till creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- DRY INGREDIENTS: Add flour to the wet ingredients. Make a small well in the top, and add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the center. Stir them into the flour.
- OATS AND CHOCOLATE: Add your oats and chocolate chips and stir just till blended. Let dough sit for about 5 minutes to thicken.
- FORM COOKIES: I like to use a cookie scoop to get uniform sized cookies, but after I scoop them I roll them into balls.
- BAKE: Place cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 9-10 minutes. Let sit on pans for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks.
WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE TIPS:
- I said this above, but the type of whole wheat flour you use matters! White wheat makes a softer, lighter flour than red wheat. Grinding your own flour also makes a huge difference.
I personally have never had good results from store bought whole wheat flour! I have a nutrimill grinder and I love it. - When you first stir the dough together, it will be quite sticky. But after it sits for about 5 minutes, the wheat flour absorbs some moisture, and it’s just perfect. I recommend using the dough right after you make it, because it dries out if you store it overnight.
- For bakery style cookies, press a few chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies as soon as you pull them from the oven. Or if you prefer, you can press them into the tops of the dough balls before placing them in the oven.
HOW TO STORE WHOLE WHEAT OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
These cookies will last perfectly for 4-5 days just stored at room temperature if they are in an airtight container. They will still be fine after that, they just dry out a bit and become crumbly.
You can also freeze them! I like to place them in heavy duty ziplock bags, because you can squeeze the air out as you remove cookies from the bag. Just make sure they are cooled completely first. They will last in the freezer for up to 4-5 months.
MORE CHOCOLATE CHIP RECIPES:
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Bar Recipe
- Banana Raspberry Bread
- Chocolate Chip Scones
TASTY HOMEMADE COOKIES:
- Smore Cookies
- No Bake Cornflake Cookies
- Birds Nest Cookies
- Chocolate Cookies Recipe
- Egg White Cookies (mint chocolate chip)
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss Cookies
- Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups salted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups freshly ground white wheat flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oatmeal or quick oats
- 3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line baking pans with silicone liners or spray with non stick cooking spray.
- With a hand mixer, beat softened butter and sugars in a large bowl till creamy.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Stir in freshly ground wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the oats and chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Scoop dough with a tablespoon sized cookie scoop, then roll in balls.
- Place at least 2" apart on prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 9-10 minutes. Let cool for about 3 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
(originally published 2/3/2010, photos and tips updated April 2021)
I’ve served these whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chip cookies dozens of times over the years, and they are always a hit. If you follow my instructions, no one will know they are eating whole wheat flour cookies!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Just enter your email and get it sent right to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
The oatmeal tasted uncooked I used rolled oats I think I should’ve pulsed it in a blender for a bit to turn it into quick oats, the ratio of oats was also too much for me. Also possibly didn’t turn out right because I replaced granulated sugar with cane sugar I don’t like white sugar.
Changing up the sugar could have been one of the reasons the flavor was off, but you can definitely blend the oats or use less of them.
These were a big hit! So delicious and I loved the added healthy ingredients….
These are heavenly and so delicious! My family loved these a lot and were such a big hit! Definitely making these again!
These were absolutely amazing!! So glad I found this recipe when I was craving something like this!Thank you.